Under 19 Football Players Stranded Overnight At Nadi Airport in Fiji After Missing Connecting Flight to Samoa
The U19 football team encountered travel challenges on Tuesday due to delays and an aircraft downgrade by Air Niugini. After a six-hour wait, the team finally boarded the flight to Nadi from Honiara, with half the players missing. Those who traveled spent the night at Nadi International Airport, arriving at 1 a.m. Fiji time and missing their connecting flight to Samoa.
Coach Batram Suri is with the players expected to depart Nadi tonight (Wednesday) for Samoa.
Despite the challenges, Suri remains optimistic about the upcoming games. He mentioned they were provided vouchers for food and water, which helped sustain them during their time at the airport.
“The only downside is that we are not sleeping comfortably,” Suri said.
The rest of the team is expected to leave the country tomorrow (Thursday). The Solomon Islands team will kick off their OFC Men’s U19 Championship campaign this Friday, 5 July, in Apia, Samoa.
Placed in Group A, the team will face strong competition from Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tahiti. The stakes are high in this championship, with two coveted spots available for the FIFA U20 World Cup 2025 in Chile. Both the winner and the runner-up of the Oceania tournament will secure their place on this prestigious global stage.
